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Marlietta
The county of Marlietta originally held a purpose similar to Othgos- the primary political and military center of Paradise City. But the powerful police presence attracted a number of wealthier individuals, families, and their operations, and they just kept moving in and the county kept on growing until it was less recognizable as the administrative center and more an upscale neighborhood for those of wealth, power, and status. Few of these people have similar tastes in architecture and how to flaunt status; it has created a bizarre layout for the county. Some buildings resemble huge skyscrapers, like those found in Terria, while others look more like magical castles from fantasy novella, or pyramids, bizarre geometric abominations made of lights and carefully placed grav-tethers, and all other manner of magically and technologically fused bizarrities, each tailored to the whim of the owner(s). The Eden Bazaar works to separate people from the money on their person. Marlietta has more international aims; the sort poets and anti-capitalists like to exaggerate when they're feeling creative. Here is where the largest sums of money change hands on a daily basis, as people trade stocks and futures in multinational corporate powers and entire nations. This is only possible due to Paradise City's neutrality in all international affairs- they are not allowed to officially take part in any war or skirmish unless they are defending an ally whose business they rely upon, and even in that they are required to rely on Freelancers rather than national militarized forces. By remaining neutral, and demonstrating the power and prowess to respectably handle and police themselves, the City's main function in international politics is that of a meeting grounds and trading posts between powers which do not always see eye to eye; for example if the Ryengo Empire is locked in war with the PRN, silk from the Empire might still reach the Republic's tailors, and grain from the Republic might find its way to Imperial mills. Further value is placed in the City due to the reestablishment of universal currency some two centuries back, which drew huge banking operations. Additionally, the City is host to the Grand Convocation to be described below, and that brought with it a number of international media studios and the developers of PNet to set up stations, which enjoy the use of Fort Lerran's enormous broadcasting power. Aside from its handling of so much money and housing so many critical federal operations, Marlietta serves one final, arguably more important, purpose- Education. In the easternmost sectors, which are right up against the edges of Earlton Row, Wellelston, and the Eden Bazaar, Marlietta ceases to be a haven solely for the higher classes and becomes more of an arena for the public. Numerous schools, museums, and colleges line the division river which separates Marlietta from the Row, including such renowned and esteemed locales as the Marigold Magister University, the Amantos Technical Institute, and St. Aquinas Children's Academy; all of which enjoy considerable private and public funding and high attendance rates from children and adults across the Trifecta. Points of Interest: The Grand Convocation As its name implies, the Grand Convocation is a massive structure which houses politicians and lobbyists from all over the Trifecta, with the exception of those powers which refuse to be sociable. Within these heavily guarded walls rage an endless seriesl of debates both philosophical and political, along with trade negotiations and lobbying for various privileges. In effect this makes the Convocation similar to the old Federation Intergalactic Senatorial Chambers back on Earth, which may or may not be an intentional design, but this meeting hall includes stock markets and all the luxuries the City can offer to help make the politics more bearable. Most people have no idea what really goes on inside the Convocation- it's a very exclusive place, and camera crews are rarely if ever allowed inside. Marigold Magister University While not the most famous or greatest of magical academies, MMU is still a respected and accredited college which churns out many fine adepts, wizards, sorcerers, warmages, and scholars of the magical arts. Eschewing all but the most basic technologies, the school relies prefers to keep things as magical as possible to impress upon students the need for practice and constant study to develop their skills and increase their arcane knowledge. While difficult to maintain due to the costs involved with magical pursuits, those who enroll or are enrolled are generally willing and capable of paying the considerable fees the university requires- only a very few are lucky enough to acquire scholarships or grants. Many who graduate end up staying on for several years to several decades as postdoctoral researchers, which is an excessively difficult job but allows a post-doc access to materials they might not be able to find outside of the campus grounds. Graduation from the standard curriculum tends to take a minimum of 20 to 30 years, at which time the student is given their diploma and a very nice set of clothes based on their specialization- Sorcerers are given a luxurious set of robes, Wizards a good sturdy cloak and pointy hat, so on and so forth. The cost of acquiring materials, both for graduation clothes and various magical reagents, is eased somewhat by hiring Freelancers to acquire the ones that are difficult to find on the markets in bulk. The Four Heavens Alliance Orphanage Children are orphaned on an unpleasantly regular basis in Paradise City. It's an unavoidable fact of life- the City occupies a dangerous position, and dangerous people and creatures are always waiting for another opportunity to strike at them. It used to be that orphanages would be scattered across the City as a result- but all this changed in 1622. Several orphanages were discovered to be fronts for cults who worshiped the Elder Corruptions, indoctrinating parentless waifs into their twisted faiths. After a short but messy conflict to excise these cancers, the Four Heavens Alliance was formed. Paladins and warrior-clerics from the Universal Temple, and the Pagan cults of Bastet, Thor, and the Guardsman, banded together to create a new centralized location to take in and protect orphaned children. It is a large facility which takes care of many thousands of orphans, who are taught and protected at all times by hundreds of fierce holy warriors that take their jobs very seriously. These warriors answer to no one but their Gods, and in lieu of reporting to higher ups in their respective groups watch out (and over) each other. Most of them are older individuals, who have retired from lives defined by violence and war and wish to spend their remaining years caring for those who cannot care for themselves. Despite the differences in ideologies and religious practices, there has yet to be a single notable schism between any of the four groups, something that inspires respect in the eyes of their peers and no small amount of fear in the eyes of their enemies. Back to Paradise City Back to Main Page